1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory. More particularly, the present invention relates to a word line discharge current controller to be incorporated in a semiconductor memory.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of semiconductor memories (hereinafter referred to as memories or memory) have been developed and put into practical use. The present invention refers mainly to a static memory composed of saturation type memory cells. Such memories usually employ word line discharge circuits.
The operation of the word line discharge circuit is such that each word line quickly absorbs electric charges stored along the word line during a change from a selection state to a nonselection state, thereby achieving a higher speed read/write operation in the memory.
It is well known that, in memories composed of saturation type memory cells, the word line level sometimes rises, after a change from the selection state to the nonselection state. This causes a problem wherein, due to this reoccurring rise in the word line level, a deleterious double selection of two word lines takes place simultaneously in the memory. This problem is remarkable in that it occurs every time the word line discharge current is stopped short after the change from the selection state to the nonselection state, and that the word line discharge current flows at every change in state.